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If you’re considering starting a residential cleaning business, you need to be in good physical health, as it is a strenuous work. Of course, you can employ people for offering housekeeping services to clean home. You can also start a cleaning company on a part time basis to begin with.
If you believe in perfection while cleaning your own house, you’re the perfect candidate to start a cleaning company for others.
House cleaning services is a very simple home business. The best part is that you can even use the cleaning supplies of your clients, so there is no pocket expense involved, at least not much!!
The start up cost for a cleaning business might be just a car or a station wagon with room to keep your equipment, supplies and transport your cleaning team.
Professional Cleaning Services Niche
How to start a cleaning business from scratch? You can start your business as a franchise or as an independent operation. If you don’t want to gamble by developing your own business, franchise is the best option, as you can get marketing support from the parent company. Basic home cleaning services include:
- Vacuuming
- Maid service includes dusting and mopping
- Carpet/Upholstery
- Kit cleaning
- Appliance cleaning
- Vehicle Cleaning
- Polishing
- Laundry/Dry cleaning
- Water storage tanks
- Underground sump
That said, there are various niches in this cleaning business. For instance, if you like outside work, you could opt for window cleaning services; pressure washing and even disaster restoration.
How do You Start a Cleaning Business?
Consider your market niche:
- Residential cleaning or domestic cleaners, similar to work done by a cleaning lady
- Condos/Apartments
- Janitorial services like offices, manufacturing facilities, commercial facilities
- Professional cleaners for Hospital/School Cleaning
Tip: Check out manuals or house cleaning websites that offer specific instructions to tackle different types of cleaning jobs and challenges, both for domestic cleaning and office cleaning services.
Cleaning Business Licenses and Regulations
Check out the licenses necessary for starting a cleaning business, such as insurance, client contracts etc. This might vary according to the state or city that you are operating in and fall under the category of Service Contractor License.
Check out the small business administration Permits to see regulations and license requirements in your area.
- Also Read | 8 Hot Business Ideas for People Who Like Travel
Research the Market for Professional House Cleaning Business
12% of households use a residential cleaning service or a housekeeper service in the US. North America is the fastest growing market in this segment, mainly due to increase in the number of working women, increase in dual income and, therefore, more disposable money.
- Check out whether there are sufficient number of households in your area who could become your target clients.
- Check out the local competition to see how many other cleaning services are operating in your area. It’s not feasible if the competition is overwhelming.
- See whether the people in your area are financially capable of paying for such domestic or commercial services.
Getting References
- Begin with just a few friends as clients for your home cleaning business.
- Offer the cleaning service as free initially for people in your neighborhood who want a clean home.
- Offer discounts and referral programs to customers who refer you to new clients for your cleaning business.
- Approach friends/relatives, social groups, clubs, neighborhood, church associations and so on for expanding your housekeeping business.
Marketing / Advertising House Cleaning Business
- Use a logo for your company.
- Post ads in local newspapers.
- Opt for magnetic Signs on your Car.
- Put up door hangers on prospective clients’ doors (they are more effective than flyers, as these just land up in trash).
- Print and distribute business cards to family members, friends and acquaintances, in fact, to everyone you meet.
- Create your own website to promote your cleaning business.
- Hang flyers at Laundromats and restaurants; bakeries; car windows; groceries, mailboxes or just at the front door.
- Join professional associations to improve networking and get more leads.
Cleaning Supplies
In case of both residential and commercial services, you have to consider the equipment needed for cleaning business: (However, in some cases, even clients supply the necessary cleaning solutions) Here are the basics:
- Window cleaning and all purpose cleaning agents
- Gloves
- Brushes for scrubbing
- Dusters
- Cleaning solutions
Tip: Buy larger quantities of cleaning supplies from janitorial supplies for your cleaning business
(Source: chartjungle.com)
Pricing for Your Cleaning Business
While establishing your housekeeping rates, consider your labor charges, material charges, any overheads and of course your profit margin while deciding on the pricing.
- Jot down details of what supplies you need for a specific client searching for ‘house cleaners near me’.
- Set hourly rates or set the rate based on the square footage. For instance, you can charge 20 cents for a square foot of cleaning area.
- Consider variables. For instance, whether the house has not been cleaned in a while; whether there are many pets in the house; children, as these involve deep cleaning services.
- Add about $25 more for in depth cleaning or first cleaning.
Your Brand Name – Cleaning Company Names
- Pick out a catchy name that is easy to remember.
- Let the name be unique, so that your company stands out from the rest of the competition.
- Be creative. You can use your own name as well. But combine the name with the type of niche service that you offer. For instance, if you offer carpet-cleaning services, name it James Carpet Dirt Busters!!
- Avoid generic terms – Don’t name it James Cleaning Business!
- Add a logo and also your locality if possible. For instance, California Dirt Busters.
Wrap Up
The demand for cleaning services is on the surge, with both residences and commercial spaces needing regular cleaning of windows and carpets, kitchens, appliances, floors, upholstery, storefronts, schools warehouses and a lot more.
As a professional cleaning service, you can send in your team to offer this essential service. You could also add value to your business by offering allied services, such as a handyman service.
A cleaning business is lucrative and doesn’t require much upfront investment, especially if you start small and do everything by yourself!
So, register your business, get your rags, bags and scrub brushes together and get going!
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